Birth of the Marauders
by Rocklover91
Summary: How exactly did the marauders figure out Remus' secret? And was that what brought the marauders into existence? One shot.


_**I don't own the marauders and I never will. Unfortunately.**_

_**My first attempt at a oneshot. Hope you like.**_

* * *

"Okay, Rem, hope your mum feels better soon, mate."

"Me too. Thanks Sirius."

"Yeah, Remmy mate. Hope everything's okay."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, James, but Aunt… Aunt Carolyn wants me to come home either way."

"See you soon, mate."

* * *

"Hey, Sirius, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Course, Jamie. What's up?"

"It's about... Never mind. Just read this and see what you get from it."

_Werewolves, or lycanthropes, are humans with the ability to shape-shift into a wolf-like creature at the full moon. The difference between the werewolf and the common wolf are obvious: The werewolf has a tufted tail and dilated eyes, whereas the common wolf's tail is straight and the eyes are similar to that of a dog. The curse of lycanthropy is transferred when the werewolf, on a full moon and when fully transformed, bites another human. Animals are not susceptible to the curse of lycanthropy. _

_Werewolves are known to be much stronger than humans. Also, they will have senses which would best compare to an animal than to a normal person. Werewolves are highly resistant to attacks by magic, and are vulnerable only to silver weapons, which are the only way to kill a werewolf._

_Werewolves crave the taste of human flesh. Often, if the werewolf is kept away from possible human victims, the werewolf will attack itself in order to quench its craving._

_Werewolves mate for life. Once the mate is chosen, the werewolf cannot survive without its mate. Some scholars consider this part of the curse of lycanthropy, as if the mate is killed, the werewolf will eventually lose its mind, often resulting in suicide. Teenaged werewolves have the highest rate of suicide among the wizarding population for this reason._

"Er… why did I have to read that, James? A bit depressing, isn't it?"

"Did you get anything out of it?"

"Uh… it would suck to be a werewolf?"

"Sirius," James sighed. "Did any of that sound familiar to you?"

"No," Sirius said slowly. "Was it supposed to? Did I somehow miss the last defense lesson without realizing it," he asked, grinning.

"No, Siri. It's nothing to do with defense."

"No offense, mate, but why the bloody hell did you have me read that? We don't study werewolves until fourth year."

"Just wait. You'll see. Now read this." James handed a sheet of parchment to Sirius.

Sirius glanced at it and raised his eyebrows. "You took notes on our _fourth year _textbook?"

James gritted his teeth. "Just read the bloody thing."

_Lycanthropy transferred through a bite (Large scar on shoulder-claimed to be a dog bite)_

_Stronger than humans (duh…)_

_Stronger senses (he always knows when teachers and others are coming)_

_Resistant to magic attacks (he knows counter-curses that seventh years don't know) _

_Silver (he avoids at all costs, including ruining the bloody prank!)_

_Attack itself (scars and cuts constantly. He's not clumsy as he says! Far from it!)_

_Mate for life (he will NOT date.)_

_Highest suicide rate …_

_Full Moons: _

_Dates of Disappearances:_

_Jan 29-31, (Mother is ill) (Mother looked fine at Christmas)  
Feb 28-Mar 1, (R is ill) (R looked ill that day)  
Mar 30-31, (Aunt Marge dying)(R's parents are only children)  
Apr 27-29, (Aunt Marge funeral)(again, R's parents are only children)  
May 26-28, (Cousin's wedding)(R's parents are only children = no cousins)  
June 26-27, (Mother is ill)(R looked ill that day)(repeat)  
July 25-27, (Grandmother coming to town)(R's grandparents are dead)(R looked ill that day)  
August 13-15, (Father funeral)(TRUE!)  
Aug 23-26, (Mother needed him because of father death)(R looked ill that day)  
Sep 23-24, (Mother still needs him)(R looked ill that day)  
Oct 22-24, (Grandmother sick)(R's grandparents are dead)(R looked ill that day)  
__Nov 21-22, (Grandmother's funeral)(She's already dead. For four years)_

"Bloody hell. You don't honestly think that Remus... that _Remus_ is a werewolf?"

"I've been watching him, Siri. Every time, he comes back looking worse than he did before he left! New cuts, new scars. I thought maybe his parents were… erm… you know... But they obviously love him. This is the only thing I can think of. And now, December comes around and he's gone again. Bet you anything, tonight's a full moon. And what's he say? His mum is ill again. No one, and I mean no one, gets ill as often as that family does. And last two months? His grandparents have been dead for four years. And…"

"Okay, James. Got it. He's lying to us. That doesn't mean he's a bloody werewolf!"

The door opened, and James hurriedly shoved the page out of sight. Seeing that it was Peter, he pulled it back out.

"Hey, Pete, read this would you?"

Sirius rolled his eyes and threw himself onto his bed. Peter grabbed the book and parchment from James and read through both.

"Erm… any particular reason?"

"James believes, get this, that Remus of all people is a werewolf."

Peter started laughing, and Sirius joined in.

"Fine, guys. I'm following him. He can't have gotten far. Let's go down to the hospital wing and see if he's ready to floo out. If so, I'll let this go. If he's not left… You'll agree that something's up."

"Fine, fine. Get the cloak," Sirius muttered.

* * *

"You guys can't be in here. Go. Run. I'll explain everything, just go." Remus was in tears when they found him at the trapdoor entrance to the Shrieking Shack.

"Rem, we're not going anywhere until you tell us what the hell is going on!" Sirius shouted at his friend. Peter jumped at the sudden yell, but James and Sirius stood their ground, determined for answers.

"Please, guys. Trust me once more. You can't be in here. You… you can get killed if you stay. Please!"

"And you can't?" Sirius said. "If we can get killed in here, so can you."

"No, Sirius. I know what's going on. It seems I was right." Remus' eyes darted to James. "Are you a werewolf?"

A sudden scream overtook Remus. He fell to the ground shaking and screaming, his hands and feet elongating. The others stood rooted to the spot.

"Go. Quick. Go!" Remus screamed at them, pleading for them to understand. Peter turned and ran down the passageway, but the others stood, eyes fixed on their sobbing friend. Sirius stepped forward, but James grabbed him and shoved him toward the passage. The screams were becoming howls before they exited at the whomping willow.

* * *

"We won't tell anyone," James said to the others. "If anyone else finds out, he'll be expelled for sure. No one can know about this."

"No kidding, James, I thought he wanted the whole tower to know. Sometimes I wonder how you made it past first year, mate. Honestly."

"B-b-but if he's a... a werewolf… he could k-k-kill us in our sl-sleep!"

"Then you'd be dead already, Peter," Sirius reminded him.

The three looked thoughtful for a moment.

"No, not one word to anyone," Sirius said, breaking the silence. "We have to get to him before he gets back to the castle. Tell him that we won't say anything. Or he won't come back here. He'll assume we came in here screaming." He sighed. "He'll go straight to Dumbledore and ask to leave. You know Rem, he hates a scene."

The boys set out again under the cloak, headed for the willow again.

* * *

At sunrise, the James prodded the knot on the base of the willow and the boys reentered the shack. Remus was curled up in the middle of the floor sound asleep, naked, and bleeding. Peter slid his cloak off and laid it over their friend.

Remus woke at Peter's touch, and sat up instantly at seeing them, pulling the cloak around him better. He stared at the floor, willing them to speak, yet not wanting to hear anything they could possibly say.

"We don't care, Remus," James said simply. He sat down beside his friend. "I had it figured out already. Ask those two. We just came here to confirm it."

Sirius sat down and slipped his arm around the werewolf. He was shocked to see how badly the boy was shaking.

"I'll go quietly. Please, just let me go home. Please, guys. Just let me go home."

"You're not going anywhere, Remi," Sirius said. "You're staying here at Hogwarts with us."

Remus was shaking his head, as if he couldn't hear them. "Just let me go. I'll go to Dumbledore immediately. I should never have come. It was too good to be true, I knew it, even back then. I'll just go home. You won't have to worry about…"

"Remus Lupin, look at me damn it!" James shouted, finally getting Remus to look up at them. "You're not going anywhere. We have not told anyone, nor do we plan to!"

"Calm down, mate," Peter said sitting down across from his friend.

"You've got a… furry little problem, let's say." James grinned. "But that doesn't mean you're not the brains behind this otherwise insane group of marauders!"

"Marauders… I like it," Peter said. "We should pick nicknames."

Sirius smirked. "Well, I think the name Mooney fits here…" A small smile found its way onto Remus' face. "Now for the rest of us. Hmm…"

A sudden noise in the doorway made the four friends jump.

"Oh, Merlin," Madame Pomfrey was staring at the group in horror. "What happened? Is anyone hurt? Did anything…"

"Madame Pomfrey, we just came to make sure our best friend is alright, that's all," Sirius said, turning on what many called his 'Black family charms.'

"I'll have to inform Professor Dumbledore about the… wait. Best friend?"

James grinned. "Yep. We were just telling Remi that we had followed him. I doubt he remembers much about that bit."

"I should take points for this, boys, as well as give out detentions. But under the circumstances…"

And thus the marauders were born.

* * *

**_I've never written a one shot before... not sure that I got enough detail in there, but I wrote it in about an hour so... yeah. _****_Please review. Even if you thought it sucked, I need to know these things. haha xD_**


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